Levan-Capped Silver Nanoparticles for Bactericidal Formulations: Release and Activity Modelling.

An environmentally friendly technique was used to produce levan-capped silver nanoparticles of about 30 nm (with a loading of 30%) that showed bactericide effect, for E. coli and B. subtilis. That effect was mathematically studied with a dose-response model (lethal dose of 12.4 ppm and 6.8 ppm respectively). These silver nanoparticles were subsequently introduced in a gel to create a silver release system with bacteria inhibition activity. Silver release from the gel and its bactericidal activity was theoretically studied to develop a unique model that is able to predict accurately both silver release and lethal dose for any type of bacteria. This model will be useful for performing predictions for future silver in gel applications.

Distribution of the Cannabinoid Receptor Type 1 in the Brain of the Genetically Audiogenic Seizure-Prone Hamster GASH/Sal.

The endocannabinoid system modulates epileptic seizures by regulating neuronal excitability. It has become clear that agonist activation of central type I cannabinoid receptors (CB1R) reduces epileptogenesis in pre-clinical animal models of epilepsy. The audiogenic seizure-prone hamster GASH/Sal is a reliable experimental model of generalized tonic-clonic seizures in response to intense sound stimulation. However, no studies hitherto had investigated CB1R in the GASH/Sal. Although the distribution of CB1R has been extensively studied in mammalian brains, their distribution in the Syrian golden hamster brain also remains unknown. The objective of this research is to determine by immunohistochemistry the differential distribution of CB1R in the brains of GASH/Sal animals under seizure-free conditions, by comparing the results with wild-type Syrian hamsters as controls. CB1R in the GASH/Sal showed a wide distribution in many nuclei of the central nervous system. These patterns of CB1R-immunolabeling are practically identical between the GASH/Sal model and control animals, varying in the intensity of immunostaining in certain regions, being slightly weaker in the GASH/Sal than in the control, mainly in brain regions associated with epileptic networks. The RT-qPCR analysis confirms these results. In summary, our study provides an anatomical basis for further investigating CB1R in acute and kindling audiogenic seizure protocols in the GASH/Sal model as well as exploring CB1R activation via exogenously administered cannabinoid compounds.